Giving up
by Vampy
Summary: A year has past since a terrible accident has taken place. And things have changed. Oh yeah…. big time. Chapter 3 Available!!!
1. Changes

GIVING UP

AN: I'm not a native English speaker but Kristen Sharpe beta'd a whole lot of this story. However, I've been rewriting certain stuff, so I really don't know how the spelling is doing in this current state…   
Disclaimer: The SWAT kat's aren't mine.

Summary: A year has past since a terrible accident has taken place and things have changed.. Big time!

GIVING UP 1: Changes  
By Vampy

Jake walked into the room. It was pitch black, the perfect resemblance of his feelings. He dropped his cracked SWAT kat helmet on the floor and dropped himself onto the couch. He was resting, but he never closed his eyes.

Eventually, he slouched out a hand to get the clicker and turned on the television to see kat's eyes news. Maybe he was needed.  
Ann Gora's face appeared with the just captured Dark Kat behind her. The villain had reappeared after almost half a year but given no chance to do any real damage.

Jake turned off the TV. If he were needed he would get a call from Callie. So, he closed his eyes.

Immediately he opened them again, because he remembered the answering machine. It's light was blinking so the tired tomcat stood up and pushed the button to play the messages. He had three, the first one was a call from Cally.

He walked to the kitchen and got himself a glass of water; the fridge was empty.

Callie was sounding worried but he ignored her. She was calling him almost everyday to check on him. Sweet, but unnecessary. He was walking back to the couch when he stepped on a piece of glass. Mildly swearing he decided to clean it up before he could step on it again.

Truth to be said, the place was a dump. The only things being used were the kitchen, answering machine, tv and couch.  
Having scooped up the pieces of glass and having thrown them away, he finally slouched onto the couch again.

Feral had called too.

_"Listen SWAT kat, the next time you let us handle him! We were in perfect control until you came."__  
Pause  
"Damn it, Jake.."  
longer pause  
"...when was the last time you had a decent night's rest? Call me, I'm not finished with you yet."_

Yeah right, like he would call Feral. He made a mental note to never give his phone number to Cally again, since she wasn't capable of keeping it to herself.  
The next caller shook him awake more then anything ever could have.

Doctor Diana Smith.

"Jake you better get to the hospital right away."

That was his cue.  
He stood up, picked up his jacket and almost tripped over his helmet as he left for the hospital.

--------

The Cyclotron roared past an Enforcers car far above the speeding limit. But the Enforcers ignored it, which was one of the reasons why Jake got to the hospital in less then half an hour.

Doctor Smith was waiting for him, a worried look on her face. But, she released a sigh of relief when she saw him. They never spoke but went up to room 336 straight away. There lay Chance, hooked up to several machines. Jake was relieved to find the machine beeping a steady rhythm instead of flat lining.

Jake slouched into the chair next to Chance, a hand up to his face to keep his emotions in check.

"You okay?" The doctor asked. "I saw the news.."

"I'm fine, Smith, besides the heart attack you gave me with that call." He leaned back into the chair. "Next time leave a longer message. Okay?"

Diana was silent for a while, studying Jake. "I called you to get you to see your friend. When was the last time you visited?"

"Diana.. I have to go.."

"You owe him that much."

Jake was just silent.

"Now.. Are you really okay? I saw you got quite a blow to the head." She was probing him for injuries.

"That's why we wear helmets. Now can I go?"

It was more an order then a request, but Smith ignored it nonetheless. She had an injection in her hands and stuck it into Jake's fur. He yelped, stood up and turned away with such force that the needle broke.

"Jake!" Doctor Smith let out with surprise.

"What the hell was that for!" Jake yelled as surprised as she was. He took out the piece of needle that was sticking out of his fur.  
She had never tried anything like this.

"Jake! Listen you haven't slept in days, your body is exhausted and you stopped seeing Chance just to be away from people.." She tried to reason with him, but he was long gone. She held a broken injection in her hands and looked up to see Chance. "God it would be so much easier if you were awake..."

--------

After his visit Jake did realized just how hungry he was and decided to eat something before he would really be a wreck. Stopping the cyclotron in front of the Kat's Eyes Café earned him some strange looks but the warmth that greeted him inside made up for that.  
It wasn't true what Diana said, he wasn't avoiding people he had just been too busy to bother…

He sat down at the bar and McFurley, the bartender nodded to him while pouring someone else a drink. Jake was looking down at his paws, while someone patted his back, saying he did a good job. Otherwise the rest the people let him alone, which suited him just fine.

"What can I get you, Jake?" McFurley asked.

"Something eatable." Jake answered. He didn't care and McFurley gave a random order to one of his colleagues while he stayed with Jake.

"How are ya?" the bulky bartender asked.

Jake grinned. "I haven't even started to count all the how-are-you-doing's yet."

"That good huh? Um, You know, I kinda promised Miss Briggs I would call her if you came here."

Jake looked up at him. "So, tell her you forgot, it's not the first time..."

"True, but I saw the news today and uh..."

Jake had turned his attention to a beer filter in front of him, assured that McFurley wouldn't call the she-kat.  
"Don't worry McFurley. I went to see Chance. Smith thinks I'm okay, only need some sleep."

McFurley wasn't totally convinced. "So you'll eat something and then get a decent night sleep?"

"I guess." Jake suddenly lost interest for the beer filter. "Hey, is there a lead on the Mariah case?"

McFurley was silent. What should he tell?

"The truth please," Jake pleaded as if he had read McFurley's mind.

"I'll tell you everything I know as long as you promise you'll go home anyway."

Some people were watching the conversation, but Jake ignored them. They always did.  
"I hear it either from you or I'm going to ask someone else which will only take longer."

McFurley shook his head. "Damn you, Jake. pause She died... The injuries were too severe." Jake was stunned. "They know it wasn't Dark Kat, he didn't have the time nor the opportunity to do it."

Jake blinked. McFurley got a plate with fish 'n chips and placed it before the dumbstruck kat. "Here Jake, eat something…"

But Jake was already standing up. "No I.."

"Jake, sit down right now!"

Jake was surprised by McFurley's furious behaviour and sat down immediately with a stunned expression on his face.

"Feral is coming over here, maybe he's got some more information. Now eat!" And with that he pushed the plate in front of the caramel kat.

Jake pushed the plate back, a little angry at the bartender. "Feral doesn't know anything. He called me, only to chew my tail out."

McFurley snorted. "I don't care. You're going to eat that up, hear Feral out and make me a happy camper."  
He paused. "Though I would be happier if you'd also get some sleep. Buy beggars can't be choosers I guess."

Jake was about to protest when someone he didn't even know interfered.  
"Feral is not sitting by doing nothing. He'll get something!"

"Yeah," someone else said. "Besides, you can't work 24 hours a day."  
Someone close enough elbowed this guy before he could say something else.

Jake rolled his eyes towards McFurley and took a bite of his food. "If Feral hasn't got anything I'm not paying for this."

McFurley nodded. Jake never paid for anything but McFurley pretended to write it down.

Everything returned back to normal and 20 minutes later Feral arrived searching the crowd.

When he spotted Jake at the bar he came over and ordered a drink. Jake had just started on an unwanted dessert, an apple. But McFurley insisted on it and since Jake knew that the bartender hadn't written down a single debt, he owed him that much.

Feral took a sip of his drink and asked the two where Miss Briggs was on which McFurley fall into a character to which Shakespeare would be jealous.

"Oh, my gosh! I forgot to call her! The horror, the horror! What a disaster. Shall I do it anyway?"

"Quit it McFurley," Jake interfered. "I'm out of here if you do. All she does is worry."

Jake was more then slightly irritated but Feral gave a mean look to McFurley anyway. McFurley ignored the commander and went to tend some other customers.

"Hey commander! Any lead on the Mariah case?" This was the same guy who got the elbow between his ribs. And he received another one just like before.

Feral searched the crowd for the no good lowlife but with no results, he turned to face Jake who was looking at him. Feral had to grin. "Let me guess, they blackmailed you into staying. All of them?"

Jake nodded. "Pretty much. So.. aren't you going to arrest all of them?"

Feral shook his head. "Nah, and you should thank them, it saved you a lot of rouble. We've got a prime suspect..."

"Dennis Clover?" Jake inquired.

"Yes, Dennis Clover. We've got him under surveillance. Brought him in for questioning this morning, said he was watching a rented movie, no alibi."

"What about the movie?" Jake inquired.

"He hired it for a week.."

"But you've got him under surveillance?"

"Of course! pause Oh, Felina told me to give you this note." Feral fumbled in his pocket and handed Jake a folded note.

"You didn't read it, did you?" Jake eyed the commander suspiciously.

"Of course not. Besides, Felina would never forgive me."

Jake grinned at that, the tall kat really had weak spot for his niece. He turned away to read the note that read:

_'Hey sure shot, hope you're doing fine. Don't worry about the Mariah case. My uncle has it covered. Sweet dreams._

_Love Felina._

_PS. I'm going to see T-bone tomorrow at 1 O'Clock.'_

Jake folded the paper and put it in his jacket. Feral was talking to McFurley. Jake stood up and left. He said good-bye to McFurley and wished Feral good luck with the case earning himself a smile from the commander.

A few seconds later, the cyclotron was heading for the hospital again.

Chance was on the third floor so in order to evade Smith he climbed the relatively short distance.

The window was open and Chance was still where he had been for the past year.

Even after all this time it was still strange to see Chance lying there, as if he was peacefylly sleeping. The only problem was that he wasn't waking up.

Jake sighed then looked at the empty bed beside Chance's.

He never felt like sleeping at the scrap yard, it was just too big and empty somehow. Besides, if he slept in the hospital he could keep an eye on Chance and he would be in the city, which saved him some travelling time in case his help was needed.

He lay down on the bed and closed his eyes. But the sleep wouldn't come, even though he must've been exhausted.  
He knew it was because of the nightmares.

When he opened his eyes and saw Chance's still form, he could barely control his feelings, so he turned around to face the wall.

Just then there was a knock on the door. Followed by the door opening. A soft 'Jake?' sounded.

Jake sighed. "Go away."

Smith ignored him. "I think I should explain myself. I never meant to drug you or anything but you're turning into a wreck if you keep this up." Jake was silent. So Smith continued. "I'll never do it again. Okay? I just wanted to tell you that."

She had still one question left and Jake knew it. But she didn't ask it. She made a move as though to leave. So Jake reacted. "Doc?"

"Yes Jake?"

"You were right.. and.. well.. " Jake was getting a little lost. "I can't sleep."

Smith sighed and told Jake it was okay. Then she injected him with a small sedative and his world went black.

--------

_"Dark kat has been locked away after a sentence from Judge Hardy and has to spent the rest of his nine lives in jail. The only question remains: will Dark kat find out a way to escape? We asked mayor Briggs what she thinks."_

The sweet face of Cally Bridge appears on screen. _"Well Ann, I think we shouldn't have to worry about a single thing, because the crime ratio has been so low this past half year.. In fact the Mariah case was solved last night at approximately two O'clock..."__  
_This woke Jake up.

_"...Dennis Clover has been arrested by the Enforcers and will probably stay in jail for the following 20 years for murder.  
For the first time in three months neither the Enforcers nor Razor have a job to do. The city is momentarily crime free and we suspect it will stay that way for some time."_  
Ann Gora appears back on the screen_. "Thank you Mayor. So there you have it. Megakat City is momentarily crime free and that means we'll be ready for anyone who'll dare to commit a crime. This is Ann Gora, Kat's Eye News."_

The TV went blank and Felina, who head been watching the news, turned to face Jake. "Isn't that great?"

Jake blinked against the sun that shone brightly through the curtains. "Good morning to you too. Sjeesh."

"Awww, come on, Razor." She sat down in the chair while Jake wiped away the sleep in his eyes and yawned, showing all his teeth. "Besides it isn't morning anymore. You slept till noon, it's half past one."

Jake looked at the clock, she was right. "Wow, Smith must've given me something strong."

Felina gave him an unbelievable look. "Sure hotshot. So... you hungry?"

"Yeah but not hungry enough for hospital food."

Felina grinned. "Nah, and you need a shower too."

"Hey!" Jake was offended by that. "Since when did you take over my life?"

"Since now. Let's go."

And with that she took him by the arm and dragged him all the way to her place leaving Chance alone.

TBC


	2. Awakening

** GIVING UP 2: AWAKENINGS  
By Vampy**

**"We'll find her. Said Marit. "Together."  
"But." Said Alfred when he realized something. "What happened to Ramu for gods sake? Why didn't he take over command?  
"A strange coincident." Said Balthazar sincerely. "I fear that he was injured. On a very sensitive spot. And what's really strange, is that he can't heal himself."  
"What caused his injury? A dragonsnake?"  
"No." Balthazar looked sharply at Haplo and almost smiled. "It appeared that poor Ramu was bitten by a dog." *  
  
Felina sighted and dropped the book on her lap while she faced the sun. It wasn't hot, but it was just perfect. She was wearing an old T-shirt and a pair of jeans.   
Jake was right besides her, dozing. They were in the middle of a park and she was loving every minute of it. Children were laughing, playing. People were talking and having a good time.   
Felina could've sworn the people were happier then normal because of the crime free zone, people were certainly breathing easier.   
Jake stirred; she looked at him and smiled. Though he still had a serious look on his face he was actually relaxing. And that was all she ever wanted. Jake stirred again and mumbled something. She perked her ears to hear what he was saying but he kept silent.   
Oh well...  
Felina returned the book to her backpack and lay down in the grass. There was a nasty cloud coming but it would take some time before it would actual threaten the sun. She suddenly felt very sleepy and closed her eyes.   
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
Meanwhile at the hospital...  
  
Doctor Smith was giving some of her patients a private check up, she would do that every now and then to keep in touch and to show the patients that she wasn't only there for business, she was also supporting and cared for her patients and they appreciated that. It was all part of what made her a great doctor. Her final visit was to someone very special to Megakatcity. T-bone.   
Even though he couldn't hear her, she would visit him to. Simply because she wanted him to wake up. Even more then the other coma patients. This was one kat who was noble and needed, and -was- was the right word. With Megakatcity crime free, who needed the SWAT kats? Well she could name a few. Herself, his partner, the mayor, the Enforcers and well, every other citizen who lived here. They wanted T-bone to wake up because he didn't deserve it and because they owed him. Him and his partner.  
Why was life never easy?  
She entered the room, where his still form was lying. 'Okay.' She thought. 'Happy thoughts.' Over the years she had learned from experience that it didn't do coma patients good to talk depressingly towards them. No.. You needed to give them a reason to come back and since they couldn't hear words but only the voices, you would have to keep your optimism level high. 'Yeah right, maybe they'll think: Hey, what's that noise? Are they having a party without me?! I better wake up!'   
She sighed and walked towards the bed. "Hey T-bone. How are you doing today?" She picked up the clipboard and told T-bone what it said. Unfortunately it hadn't changed much since half a year.   
She did however keep the lightness in her voice while she spoke.  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
Back at the park...  
  
Felina was waking up with a strange feeling. Everything was dark, why?  
She looked up and saw the heavy clouds, the perfect ruining of a perfect day. People were packing up and making themselves ready to leave the park. One woman who was sitting on a bench 15 meters from them pointed at something in her direction. Felina looked at the lady questioning and pointed at herself. But he woman shook her head and pointed again. Felina turned around and saw Jake, he was sweating and trashing about, while murmuring words she couldn't quit catch except 'T-bone' and 'No'. She kneeled besides him and grabbed him by the shoulders to shake him awake, but he started to fight her. She cursed. "Damn it Jake, snap out of it." She slapt him in the face, hard. He was awake a second after impact.   
"Wha.." He was shaky. Felina was still holding his shoulders so she let go. He blinked. It was obvious he wasn't clear-headed right then so Felina helped him a bit.   
"That was quite a nightmare you had there, bud." She smiled at him, trying to give him some comfort. But all Jake seemed to hear was the word 'bud'. She realized her mistake...   
"Oh, I didn't mean to.. I would never try to replace T-bone.. " He shook his head while telling her that it was okay, but his voice told her otherwise.   
"Do you want to talk about it?"   
He looked up surprised. "About what?"   
Felina was sitting in a crouch, ready for a little opening up. "You know, about the dream..." He gave her one unbelieving look, stood up and left. Felina was startled. "Jake?"  
Jake turned around, but didn't stop moving. "I have to work on some gadgets. I'll see you.. some other time..."   
Felina stood up. "Jake, the city is crime free.." *Sigh* "You don't have to talk to me, just... "   
Jake stopped moving. "You don't have to tell me what to do! I'll do whatever I want!"   
A child started crying and it started raining. Felina looked up. "Oh, great." She mumbled. "Listen Jake, we could watch a movie or something." It sounded hopefull but Jake was having nothing of that.   
"I'm not in the mood, I'll see you later... much later..." And with that he turned and left. Felina balled her fist and wanted to curse the rain but instead kicked a can into a garbage can. A smile appeared on her face for that but it quickly faded away. A crime free city alone just wasn't enough.  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
A thunder crack echoed trough the city. Doctor Smith sighed and closed the window of T-bones room. She was about to leave when she remembered she hadn't put the clipboard back on the bed. While she turned back she saw T-bones eye flutter.   
She froze.   
Had it been her imagination?   
It hadn't been, T-bone blinked again and turned his head. She dropped the clipboard, and it fell clatering to the floor.   
"T-bone?"   
He closed his eyes again. Doctor Smith looked at the hearth monitor and saw he was quite upset. "T-bone? Listen you have to stay awake for a while so I can explain what happened."   
He opened his eyes again. And tried to sit up. "What the.. Where am I?"   
Doctor Smith held him down. "Easy there, you're at the hospital." She couldn't believe this just happened, it wasn't normally that people came out of a half year of coma. But apparently Chance was someone who did.   
He wasn't satisfied with the answer though. "What happened? How did I get here?" She ignored the questions for a while, while she checked his condition. He was doing reasonable fine, so she took a chair to have a talk with him. "What's the last thing you remember?"   
Knowing she would stay with him comforted T-bone. "I don't know. It's all fuzzy. How did I end up in here?"   
She smiled and took his paw; surprisingly he didn't take it back but allowed it. "You were shot, in the chest near the hart, you almost died because of it but apparently you survived. Do you remember you're name?" T-bone eyes became splits. "My name is Ch.. T-bone." She had to smile at that, even though he was a mess he knew when to say his real name and when to don't. "Well, T-bone, My name is Smith. And I think I should be calling a very worried friend of yours." T-bones eyes became large. "Jake! Where is he? Is he all right? Why isn't he here?" She stood up to ring the nurse call and as suspected a nursed entered the room. "She will keep you company, but try to get some rest, I'll call you're friend. There's nothing to worry about." T-bone couldn't do any other thing then nod. He had the feeling he was forgetting the world but he was too tired to care at a certain point. Jake would be here soon and everything would be okay after that. He let the nurse tuck him in. She had the weirdest excited look on her face that he'd ever seen. Why?... But he was asleep before he could find it out.  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
At the scrape yard...**

**Jake was rubbing his eyes. He had some plans before him on the table. They were one-year-old designs but they didn't made much sense anymore. The answering machine was blaring out a message of Feral in which he reported the progress of the Mariah case. Jake listened and had to think of the little girl that was raped and brutally murdered by Dennis Clover. He sighed, and hoped the bastard didn't enjoy his stay in prison.   
Today at the park, the people had been so... Well happy. Careless. Normal. It had been because of the crime-free thing but he knew it wouldn't last very long. Megakatcity had been a crime free zone three months ago. But the villains had gotten back just as hard. But it still felt good. As long as you didn't think about the fact that it did existed, or had existed.   
Mariah Perry had been killed and for that he wouldn't be able to sleep very well the upcoming weeks. He couldn't help seeing the picture of her he had found on her file. 17 years. No parents. She had been an orphan but she had managed to survive since she was already in college. She had friends, maybe no family but she had friends, she had a life.   
He knew all of that from the investigation he had held before Dark kat appeared and he had to take care of that. Mariah Perry. He would've given his life for her. But somehow that didn't make a difference. He dropped the designs. They didn't make sense and they wouldn't make sense. He had to start all over, but didn't know where to start.   
He was about to take a sip of water when the phone rang and he almost choked in it. The answering machine took over. There wasn't a message. Just a beep but most people understood that it was an answering machine and that the people who owned it weren't home at the moment so they could leave a message.  
The beep was followed with doctor Smith, cursing.  
Jake attention was peeked. Better yet, he was terrified.   
Smith seemed to be getting control of herself. "Jake... fuck, I don't know how to tell you this, I would rather say it right to your face, not to a machine..." Jake was to the phone immediately. "Smith? What's wrong?"   
"Jake! Thank goodness your there. Come to the hospital immediately. Chance woke up a few minutes ago. Isn't that great?"  
Jake was stunned. "Wha..."   
"Jake didn't you hear what I said? He's awake!"  
"Who's awake?"  
"Jake.. Listen to me. Chance is awake; he's going to be all right. He's out of his coma!"  
"But, but.."  
"Isn't that.."  
"NO!" Jake yelled. Smith was utterly surprised.   
"NO! It's not all right. They asked me to pull the plug, they advised me to.. to.."  
"Oh, Jake, listen to me. You did the right thing. They were wrong, you gave Chance a chance to survive and he did. He survived Jake. The only problem you've got is how you're ever going to tell him what happened to the Turbokat."  
"The turbokat? Oh I don't know.."  
There was a long pause and Smith waited. Eventually Jake realized what she had tolled him.  
"HE'S WHAT?"  
"Jake, I'm not going to tell you again, get your tail to the hospital, NOW!" She waited for a response, maybe a good-bye, but there was nothing.   
At the scrape yard a phone was bungling from its line while a door slammed shut.  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
The heart monitor was unhooked, and standing next to Chances bed doing nothing. It was the first thing Jake noticed when he entered the room. On one site it freaked him out because it wasn't the way it was supposed to be but on the other side.. It meant Chance didn't need it anymore. Jake walked to the bed. Careful, not to wake the occupant up. When he saw Chances face he frowned. There hadn't been many changes. He looked back to the open door. No one was there. It was all just like before. Chance was still...  
Chance stirred and turned to lie on his side. Jake eyes went wide and his legs couldn't hold him anymore. He sat down in the chair, tears streaming from his eyes; it wasn't just of cheer joy but also of unbelief and frustration. It just was too much after one year.   
He felt a hand on his shoulder and another one holding out a hanky for him. He took it and nodded gratefully at Smith. When she spoke it sounded soft and soothing, like a real professional. "The first thing that he wanted to know, was how you were doing. He's a true friend Jake and so are you."   
He had whipped away the tears. "I still can't believe it." He said. "I had given up hope you know. The only reason why I couldn't pull the plug was... because it would be as if I was killing him. I never believed he would wake up. But he did. And now... I don't know what to do..."   
Diana sighed. "I know, it's hard, specially for you but you shouldn't be worrying so much. The first thing to concern is that he gets settled in. You can answer his question later. Okay?" She looked Jake in the eyes and he nodded.   
"I'll do that. When do you think he'll wake up?"  
Smith looked at the clock and then smiled. "Not for a very long time. I think he'll.. " Then she noticed the blood on the floor. "Jake are you bleeding?"   
Jake looked up with a confused look on his face. "No, why.." Then he saw a small patch of blood on the floor. Smith was kneeling on the floor and took his foot. "Seems like you stepped into something."  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
Chance heard voices. 'What the?' His eyes were too tired to open so he listened.   
"Really, I swear you wouldn't had noticed if you had been hit by a truck." *Laughter* The laughter stopped abruptly by a laud yell of triumph and a mild swear. "There, there, that wasn't so bad now was it?"  
"Oh, it wasn't?!? I could've sworn that was bad! What did you pull out? A propeller or something? Jesus!"  
Chance shot up, he recognized that voice. "JAKE?"  
Jake looked up, from where he was lying on the other bed, eyes wide. He managed a smile. "Chance! About time you woke up..." But his voice broke.   
"What the hell happened buddy?" Chance tried to sit up but his muscles were too stiff.  
Jake stood up, Smith wanted to comment that she bandage the wound first but she left instead, closing the door so the two friends would have some privacy.   
"You better lie back down." Jake commented. "You've been out of it quite a while..."   
Chance nodded and lied back. Jake just stood there, lost. Chance noticed this and asked what was wrong.  
"I'm just glad you're okay. You've been.. You were shot, near the hearth." Jake looked down, not willing to face the confused look on Chances face.   
"What?! I feel pretty darn good to be shot down. Well.. My body aches but I don't feel as if I was shot down." Chance shook his head. "What the hell is going on?"   
Jake sighed and sat in the chair.   
Chance wanted his answers. "Jake what happened? What's going on?"   
Jake looked up, his eyes teary. "Chance, You've been in a coma for over a year."  
"WHAT?!"  
"That's why your wound had time to heal." Jake stood up. "That's why you muscles feel so stiff, it's because you haven't used them for over a year."   
"No.." Chance couldn't believe it. "No, this can't be... Jake?"  
Jake had turned his back to Chance. "Believe it Chance." 'I had to do so, too.'  
Chance was starting to get up again. And Jake had to push him back gently. But Chance wouldn't stay down. He looked Jake right in the eyes. "What happened Jake? Who put me in this hospital? Why won't anyone tell me?"   
Jake turned his face. "I'll tell you later, I promise but let's just wait till things settle down."  
Chance was silent and wondered what Jake couldn't face himself. "Are you okay?"   
Jake looked up at him and smiled. "I'm fine. Now that you're back.. Everything is going to be all right." He hugged Chance and Chance hugged him back. "Don't you ever scare me like that again!"  
Chance grinned. "What you didn't think I could make it?"**

*** This is an exerpt from one of my favorite books, called "The Gate Of Death" From Weiss & Hickman.**


	3. Back On Track

**GIVING UP 3: BACK ON TRACK  
By Vampy**

**"So, how are you doing?" Commander Feral, who was driving the ambulance, looked back over his shoulder to look at T-bone.  
T-bone swallowed and gave Jake a confused look, which only seemed to amuse him.  
They, plus Callie and Felina, were in an ambulance heading for the scrape yard. Chance had been released from the hospital yesterday and they had been planning on how to get T-bone home ever since.  
Eventually, Commander Feral stepped in and told them they would use an ambulance as cover.   
Even though they had been stunned that Feral was the first with a plan, they had agreed and were steadily on their way.  
  
T-bone could barely comprehend everything. He was lying in the back of the ambulance like a real patient.  
The only thing he did fully realize was that Feral hadn't said one crummy remark about the SWAT Kats. Hell, he was even being nice.   
Jake was sitting shotgun, next to Feral, and Cally and Felina were with him in the back. It was all very strange. The only one who acted normal was Callie. She was trying to make conversation, but Felina hadn't spoken a word other than 'Yes', 'No' and 'How are you feeling, T-Bone?' Guess she wasn't in a talky mood.  
  
Razor.. Jake.. He was a little distant as if he was thinking a lot.. But, Feral started talking to him and soon they were having a conversation. T-bone couldn't make out the words. Nor did he want to because it was just too strange for him. Feral had always wanted to destroy the SWAT Kats after all.... And now they were just having civil conversation with each other, a lot had changed in one simple year...  
Callie handed him a glass of water, and T-bone took it gratefully. "You can't believe how glad we are that you pulled through Chance..."   
T-bone spat out the water he was drinking and started coughing. Jake was with him in a second, patting his back and looking at Callie with a question mark plastered on his forehead. She just shrugged her shoulders. "I don't know I just gave him a glass of water..."  
Finally, Chance got enough air in his longs to bring out a question for Callie. "What did you just call me?"   
Callie didn't answer that, just said: Oh... That...   
Jake sighed. "I know you're quite out of it, buddy, but you are not wearing your bandanna.   
Chance was shocked. "What?" Then, he whispered. "Do they know who the SWAT Kats are?"  
Jake looked down. And after a pause he said "Yeah, they know..."  
Chance was still stunned. "I can understand why Callie knows, and Felina too. But Feral?"  
Felina had heard that last remark and jumped in. "It's not just us, Chance. Whole of MegaKat City knows who the SWAT Kats are."  
"Oh, man..." Chance laid back down. "I'm gone for one lousy year.. And, I wake up in a mess... Doesn't this mean that..."   
Jake stepped in too. "Chance, there's nothing to worry about. It's just like being a Enforcer. Actually, it's exactly the same thing. You'll get used to it. Now, get some rest. The more you rest, the faster you'll be your good ol' self again."   
Chance still wasn't satisfied. Things were going too fast for him. But he closed his eyes nontheless. If Jake said it would be okay, it would be okay.  
  
Jake sat back next to Feral. Deep in thoughts. Feral took one look at him and realized Jake was losing it too.  
"You know.."He started. "You didn't had a problem with the identity thing five months ago."   
Jake nodded. "Yes but I wouldn't have a problem with my death too, if you come to think of it..."   
Feral nodded. "Of course. It was a rough time. And, now you feel guilty because you made a decision on your own that's now T-bone's decision too. But, he can't make it because you did it for him... A very long time ago..."   
Jake nodded. "You're right, but what's done is done, right?"  
"Exactly. The only big problem is how you are going to tell him what happened to the Turbokat."  
Jake grinned. "That's exactly what Dr. Smith said."   
**

**   
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_   
  
...   
He felt a strange feeling.   
  
A disturbing feeling. Like someone was shaking him around. Not much, just a bit. Luckily, it stopped.   
  
Chance turned to lay on his other side and continued his sleep but a hand prevented that. "Oh no, T-bone. You're going to wake up, not resume your sleep." The shaking began again and T-bone realized Felina was trying to wake him up. So, he responded. "Yeah, yeah, just a minute.."   
Apparently, it wasn't the response Felina wanted because she growled and continued to shake him.   
"Okay, I'm up. I'm up." He opened his eyes and looked around. They were at the scrap yard. He got up with the help of Cally and Felina, since he was slightly dizzy, and they got out of the ambulance. Jake came towards him and took over for Cally.   
"You okay buddy?" he asked.   
Chance grinned. "Sure, I just took a nap and now I can't stand straight again. I'm just fiiiiiiine.."   
Jake grinned too. "Well, at least you're not supposed to be walking up straight so there's nothing wrong with you. Let's get you inside though."   
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ **

**...   
There was something very different about the place, but T-bone couldn't put his finger on it. He was sitting at the kitchen table while Jake was searching through the cupboards. Chance ignored it and took a good look around. As far as he was concerned, everything was still the same.   
  
Same place. Same couch. Same carpet. Different TV, but that was normal. Same furniture.   
Only when Jake dusted off his hands did Chance realize it.  
There was dust everywhere!   
  
"Sorry, I couldn't find anything to eat. Well, except for a box of crackers, but you don't want to try them."   
"What, you're telling me there's not a single thing to eat around here?"   
Jake sat down at the table. "Afraid so."   
"Why? You don't live here anymore??" Chance was shocked.   
"Well, it's not like there was a lot off things here waiting for me, Chance. Besides, everyone knew who I was, so it didn't matter where I went."   
  
Felina was entering the kitchen. Commander Feral had left for enforcer business and Cally had her mayor duties. Of course, the fact that Chance was looking very tired had nothing to do with it.   
Felina threw her broomstick in a corner. "Luckily, now T-bone's here, you'll eat at home and not at McFurleys... ...or my place. Right Jake?"   
"Sure Felina, I'll just order a pizza or something.. Which reminds me.. do you want to go shopping? Or should I, and then you can stay with Chance?"   
Felina shook her head. "Nah, I'll do it." She picked up her jacket which lying nowhere in particular and faced Jake again. "I removed most of the dust from Chance's room so he can go to sleep if he wants." Then, she left.   
  
Jake looked at Chance. He didn't look so hot. So, Jake decided for him. "You heard the lady. Up. To bed with you." And he guided (pushed, removed or evacuated) Chance out of the kitchen.   
  
**

**_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_**

**Felina cursed out loud when she almost dropped one of her grocery bags.   
Luckily only a few vegetables fell out on the wet and dirty ground, but that didn't give Felina a good enough reason to stop cursing. She left the vegetables were they were and entered the house.   
"Damn, slippery junkyard, I swear if I ever have to do shopping in the rain again... I'll kill someone!"  
She was still balancing the groceries around but managed to throw her jacket away, somewhere where it could dry. Then she noticed Jake sitting at the table but she ignored him. Afterall she had some bags to get rid off.  
Having the grocery bags dumped and brought into the safety of the kitchen Felina grabbed a towel to dry herself with. Then she noticed Jake again... He had barely acknowledged her return. He just sat there with a glass of water in his paws... and not drinking it from the looks of it.   
She threw the towel away, dug in one of the bags for a bottle of milk, grabbed two glasses and sat right next to him.  
"Hey sureshot. Want a drink?" It was a rhetorical question, since she was already pouring it in. He just gratefully accepted it.   
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
  
It was only a few minutes after midnight when Felina fell asleep.   
Jake grinned and shook his head. She was a piece of art. He took another long drink of his milk and considered waking up the feline right opposite of him.   
He shook his head and stood up to carry her to the sofa. Then spent a half hour looking for a spare blanket but found none. There was only one blanket left besides Chance's and he used that one to cover up Felina. Then he sat back at the table.   
He wouldn't be able to sleep tonight anyway... Things had just went too fast for him to truly comprehend. So he stayed up, thinking.   
He would have to tell Chance what happened, once. But when? On one hand he could run to Chance's room and blur it all out. But on the other hand he could deny the whole darn thing and 'get on with his life'.   
Some long ago said words echoed true his ears. 'If you want to get on with your life you've got to face it.'  
He hadn't wanted to do so back then. He even made that pretty clear to the psychiatrist. But he wondered...  
His thoughts were disturbed by a scream that echoed trough the night.  
'Chance!'  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
The door burst open letting a worried Jake through. Chance had waken up and was still panting from his dream.   
"You okay Chance?" Jake wasn't comforted by his friends look. Chance looked pale and was trembling.  
"Yeah.. No.. There was this guy, I..."   
Jake patted Chance on his back and sat down on the bed. "What guy?"  
Chance shook his head as to clear it. "He had this gun..."  
Jake froze and backed away when Chance faced him. Then he got a grip on himself. "You'd better go back to sleep Chance, you need your rest."  
"No.. I want.. Was that guy for real?" Chance was still lost in his dream but apparently Jake wasn't willing to go there.  
"I'll get you something to drink." But before Jake was out of reach Chance grabbed his paw. "Jake! Was that guy for real?"  
Jake shrugged his arm free and headed out for the door... but he stopped in the door entrance, and turned back to face his friend. "If it was a black kat, with a scar trough his left eyebrow... Yes..."  
Then he left. Chance shivered and covered himself with his blanket. When Jake got back he had fallen in a fitful sleep, a pained expression plastered on his face.  
Jake closed the door softly and sat next to his sleeping friend.  
Why? He thought by himself.  
They had been hero's.  
The legendary and mighty SWAT Kat's!  
Hero's...  
And hero's don't deserve such a fate. Okay it was highly possible that something like this could happen. It just had to be one of these day's that something went wrong.   
But things went wrong all the time and never with serious results like this. The worst that had happened was that they had to go trough desperate times even though it always turned out fine in the end.  
But not this time.  
Hell no.   
Not this time...  
Jake shivered and pulled his knees up to his chest.   
The room felt chill.   
'Like everything else nowadays...'  
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_ _-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
'Wha?'  
Chance woke up feeling highly disorientated. Where was he? But he calmed down when he saw Jake right besides him, cuddled up on a chair making it look comfortable, which wasn't. Chance was sure of that.   
He was grateful Jake had stayed with him though. He softly nudged Jake at his sleeve. "Hey Jake.. Wake up buddy."   
Jake woke up immediately and almost fell of his chair. "Chance? Is it morning already?"  
"Well, when you count the fact that the sun is shining. Yeah."  
"Oh..." Jake grinned. "Well, guess I'm not truly awake yet... You must be hungry, feel up to eating something that doesn't resemble hospital food?"  
Chance nodded. So Jake led Chance downstairs.  
Felina was still curled up on the sofa and lightly snoring. After Jake had helped Chance sit down he made some coffee and woke Felina up. Neither of them were in a talking mood but Jake got out of it by making some sandwiches.   
Chance looked at Felina and grinned at her sleepy face.  
Felina first ignored the stare but she didn't had the patient for it. "What? What is it?"  
Chance just shook his head. "I thought you were complaining of Jake staying for dinner.. and yet here you are..."  
Felina grinned too and Jake placed some sandwiches in the middle of the table while taking a seat.   
It was silent once more while they were eating. Chance and Jake didn't had much of an appetite, Felina however was eating over three sandwiches and was getting her speech back. ...with a full mouth...  
"So.. I guess things are going to be though.. You know... T-bone fitting in... It's a good thing though. Not like I ever doubted to have you back T-bone, you know better then that. Just since the fact that Razor here really needs someone to talk too."  
Jake pulled up a eyebrow while looking at her. She ignored him. Chance wasn't really paying attention because it was obvious Felina was getting back at Jake for spending the night over. Felina just continued talking ignoring everything and everyone.   
"...Plus, there's a fact of T-bone having a traumatic experience, I mean, having lost a year of life... Man... The worst part must probable be that his friends went on without him."  
She sighed. Chance stirred a bit, while taking a bite of his sandwich though not very hungry.   
Felina continued. "Yeah, I think you two have much to talk about..." She waited for a response from the two, but they remained silence. Jake even took a sip of his milk.  
"Like what happened a year ago!!??!!" She practical yelled it into Jake's face.  
Jake spat out his milk, almost choking in it and Chance became dead pale remembering his dream.  
Felina stood up, looked around for her jacket, found it lying behind the couch and waved at the two tomkat's.  
"Well, see you around, I'm going to catch some much needed zzz's. I'll catch ya later!" And with that she was gone.   
  
_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_  
  
Jake leaned back in his seat, staring at the sealing. While Chance crossed his arms over the table and laid his head in it, obvious still tired.  
Jake was the first one to speak. "So.. You got something on your mind?"  
There was a brief silence. Chance looked up.   
"About a million things.. You?"  
"Same here."   
Chance sat up right. "You know Jake... What Felina said, about my friends going on without me... "  
Jake sensed the hesitation and mentioned Chance to continue.   
"Well, I wouldn't want it any other way.. You realize that don't you?"   
Jake smiled. "Thanks Chance, that means a lot to me. And you know.. we'll get trough to this. You'll be part of this new society in no time..."   
Chance sighed, he felt comfored, and more reassured, but the fact remained, he had lost a year of his life, and he had a lot of catching up to do. He looked up at Jake, who was smiling reassuringly, and gathered all his courage.   
"Jake... What happened back then?"  
Jake's face fell immediately. But seeing his friends begging eyes he realized that Chance had a right to know. Even more then that. But what to tell? Better yet. Where to begin?  
"It's hard. Do you remember that kat from your dream?" Chance nodded. He wasn't facing Jake but listened non the less.   
"Well, that kat was called Carl Enquist. Do you remember anything else about him besides the dream?"  
"No, not besides that his name sounds somewhat familiar."  
Jake grinned half hearted. "Well it should be. He was one of the top writers in MegaKatHarbor. He wrote those crazy best sellers about criminals trying to take over katkind."   
Chance nodded. "That sounds about right, but he went bad right? And he shot me." He faced his friend. "I though that if something would go wrong eventually, it would be because of Darkkat or Viper. Not by some disturbed writer.."  
  
Jake shook his head. "You don't remember anything do you?   
*silence*  
That's okay... I do. It was a week before you got shot that it appeared all over the news. Carl's last book was not going to be published because of the disturbing context. We didn't follow it much but I wish we had, because a week later we got a emergency call from Cally telling us that Carl was in MegaKatCity and holding up hostages at MegakatBank demanding ransom money and a get-away-plane.  
We got there as soon as we could and only to find out that there were 7 hostages and the enforcers were not planning on negotiating with a bunch of terrorists."  
Jake grinned at the thought of Chance's behavior against Feral, the tom kat had been less then pleased and made it pretty obvious to the commander. Though Jake understood Feral more now a days, he still disagreed with the Enforcer. But when he did he wouldn't show it like he used to do with T-bone at his side.  
There just wasn't anymore fun in ganging up against Feral, not without T-bone.   
Chance was still waiting, though he hadn't noticed the long silence since he was also lost in his own thoughts, but after a while he mentioned to Jake to go on with his story, even though he didn't really wanted to hear the unhappy ending...  
"Well, there really isn't a lot to tell about..."Jake continued. "We ignored the Enforcers and went in separated at different angles, hoping to take the bank robbers out one at the time. It worked for a while, but then it went horribly wrong... The terrorists got on to us, and threatened to kill another hostage if we didn't show ourselves. So we did. We let them capture us and it made Carl over confident.   
*pause*   
It didn't take long before we made our move, trying to take out the terrorists. We really could've made it, you know, freed all the hostages and captured all the bad guys. But it didn't happen."   
  
Jake shuddered at the thought of what happened next. A gunshot, sounded trough the commotion of yelling and screaming. Then all was seemingly still and moving in slowmotion as T-bone's body jerked. The tom kat tried to look around and see who had hit him, but he was down before he knew it. Shot in the back while he was busy taking another terrorist out...  
Jake remembered how he had forgotten everything and just ran to his partner. Forgetting all carefulness until a bullet too seized his shoulder. He turned around in his fall and fired a laser at the direction of the shooter. It hit the same time he hit the floor. Carl Enquist uttured a yell of pain when the laser hit his thy. Then all was like in a blood red haze. The terrorists fledding, just like the hostages had done, Carl Enquist limping towards him, Enforcers shouting outside. T-Bone...  
He remembered every word Carl spook to him. Every detail in his face as he did so. The cool iron of his gun pressed against his forehead. The swallow he made, the grin he saw. The retreating limping form of the terrorist while he exited the building without killing the only remaining SWAT Kat.  
It was cold and it was the most loneliest moment Jake had ever been trough as he crawled to his partner, tears had already mingled themselves with the dust that was now slowly setting down in the disserted bank.   
  
T-Bone just laid there and the sounds became even fainter. Obviously, the terrorist had escaped and the Enforcers didn't know what to do now...   
Felina had entered the building with a couple of Enforcers and called for a paramedic the moment she saw T-Bone in Razors arms. Razor had seemed to be in shock, but she didn't know how to handle him so she just let him be. When the paramedic's came and they began CPR however, she saw a sparkle of hope shining in Razor's eyes. **

**_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_**

**The slim kat rubbed his eyes, so early in the morning really wasn't a good time to spill his guts to his friend. But he continued his story.  
  
"Carl Enquest was the one who shot you, when you were busy taking out one of the terrorists. I only saw it too late. I'm sorry, I've should've watched your back.."  
Chance shook his head in disbelieve. "No you're wrong, you had your hands full, I didn't suspect you to watch my back." He looked Jake in the eyes. "It was bad luck, that's all it was. But you haven't finished the story, what happened next?"  
"Well.. the paramedic's came in and started CPR on you, and managed to safe you're life."  
"That's not what I meant, what happened to Carl? Did you get him or did he get away?"  
Jake affirmed it with a nod, but wasn't facing his partner. "Yeah, I got him."  
T-Bone let out a sight of relieve and seemed to truly relax for the first time since he came out of his coma.  
"Good," He said. "so now there really isn't anything that can stop us from getting our lives back together, is there?"  
Jake smiled softly. "Yeah, not a thing..."  
Chance stood up slowly and headed back up stairs.  
"Need a hand, buddy?" Jake asked, but Chance refused it.   
"I'm going to wash myself and get dressed on my own. The sooner I'm completely mobile, the sooner I'll feel comfortable and on the way of getting my old life back, right?"  
Jake nodded and smiled while he looked at the retreating form of his partner. It felt really good to have him back, but it wouldn't take long before Chance would start asking questions again, and Jake dreaded that moment.   
There would also come a time when Chance would want to be a SWAT Kat again, and Jake dreaded that moment even more...  
He took out his wallet and opened it. A small white note fell from it on the table, and Jake took it in his paws.   
"I've got him back. can you believe that? I had given up all hope, and now I've got him back...  
But why am I so afraid?" His voice trembled. And his eyes were teary. "Why am I so afraid that it's suffocating me?"   
His hand shook, and he crumbled the piece of paper in his hand.   
"Oh please don't let it happen again..." He whispered. "Please not again..."**

**_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_-_**

**To be continued**


End file.
